NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have returned safely to Earth after a nine-month mission at the International Space Station, extended due to complications with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. They splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule after a lengthy 17-hour journey home. Initially meant to be a short mission, their return was delayed by various technical issues with the Starliner. The incident underscores challenges Boeing faces in its competition with SpaceX for NASA contracts. Controversy arose when Elon Musk claimed he offered an earlier return, which NASA and White House officials denied.